Once Upon a Car

The Fall and Resurrection of America's Big Three Automakers--GM, Ford, and Chrysler

About the Book

Once Upon a Car is the fascinating epic story of the rise, fall, and rebirth of the Big Three U.S. automakers, General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Written by Bill Vlasic, the Detroit bureau chief for the New York Times and acclaimed author of Taken for a Ride, this eye-opening, richly anecdotal work is more than a riveting and insightful business history. It offers a clear-eyed view of the present day automobile industry and of Detroit, the city that spawned it, going far beyond the corporate and federal maneuverings to explore the impact the car companies’ failures have had on the overall economy, and more importantly what they have done to people’s lives. Relevant and thought-provoking, Once Upon a Car is an unforgettable journey deep inside this quintessentially American industry.

Educator and Librarian Resources

Critical Praise

“Essential account of the United States auto industry.” - New York Times Book Review, Editor's Choice

“Compelling... a human approach to an industry that couldn’t be less human in scale... entertaining.” - Wall Street Journal

“The book is extraordinary. Vlasic offers what will probably become the definitive retelling of the crisis that nearly felled America’s three carmaking icons.” - Financial Times

“A deeply reported, full-on narrative in the style of Barbarians at the Gate or Game Change.” - Chicago Tribune

“Once Upon a Car is the best book on the whole shebang that you are ever going to read... a critical history.” - Huffington Post

“With almost anthropological precision, Once Upon a Car is a thorough and compelling account of the collapse of the domestic auto industry” - Cleveland Plain Dealer

“Even with all the ink spilled on Detroit lately, Vlasic’s tale is as fresh as a new car… Vlasic says he wanted to write a fast-paced narrative, and he’s penned a page-turner in Once Upon a Car” - Fortune.com

Bill Vlasic

Biography

An award-winning business reporter with more than fifteen years of experience specializing in the automotive industry, Bill Vlasic is currently the Detroit bureau chief for the New York Times. The coauthor of Taken for a Ride, Vlasic is a winner of the Gerald Loeb Award for excellence in financial journalism and has been recognized for his reporting and investigative journalism by the Associated Press and the Society of American Business Editors and Writers.